Repeat after me, “I will never pay for rush shipping.”  So start your  pre-shopping now.  What I mean by pre-shopping is making  a list, checking  it twice, finding out whose been naughty or nice.  Preparing in advance allows you to avoid last minute decisions and last minute expenses.  Map out birthdays, shower gifts, and all every other gift giving occasion now and be way ahead when the holidays roll around.

Of course we all have have our favorite stores bookmarked. This post is for sites that cover many categories.  For things you need, gifts that can be sent without going to the post office, and stocking up on useful items, online buying is the perfect solution.  However you don’t want to wade through hundreds of sites with bad interface and expired offers.

This first site is so good you might never leave fatwallet.com.  Coupons, user forums, and gateways to all the sites you need to save on everything  including travel. They even have cash back with designated merchants.  Best things first – they let you know which coupons are expiring, the search feature is user friendly, and you can find your favorite companies quickly. Cash back is the most intriguing since who doesn’t like to save and get money back. Of course the payoff is not immediate, however down the line after a waiting period and the vendor pays them, fatwallet.com will send you a check. This is an above and beyond savings. For food coupons and everyday items plus other great features, fatwallet.com is one of the Frugal Diva faves.

A great site for price comparison is pricegrabber.com. They have been around for awhile and pricegrabber.com not only reviews the products, you will also get hundreds and sometimes thousands of reviews on the merchants. This is very reassuring particularly on more pricey items such as computers and digital cameras.

Overstock.com is another great resource. You are buying directly from them and they have a feature that allows you to do an instant price check with another merchant.

And when in need of a quick gift, few sites are as practical as Amazon.com. Easy purchase and even more importantly for the recipient easy return. Gift wrapped, card inserted, and mailed all in a few clicks.

Do your own quality checking among consumer reviews and there is always Consumer Reports (subscribe or read it at the library) which is excellent for significant purchases and any electrical appliance.

It took a few minutes for me to recognize YP.com as the new and might I add much better Yellow Pages. In a feat of rebranding, they have transformed into a deal making, weather information, and local event finder for your city. They are making local search easier and more fun since you can narrow by category and neighborhood.

Let’s say during this long summer vacation you may need a bowling alley to entertain the kids while you get a drink. Voila!  Lucky Strike where the fun comes with great food and a full bar. Pick a movie theater and pack everyone up for a matinee of Harry Potter or park the kids and find a theater that serves lunch.

With the overwhelming amount of deals, YP has taken the time to organize them into categories.  Right now registering with the deals a day part of the site gets you a $5 credit so the first deal will have substantial savings.

YP.com has developed a fun site that also has all the serious information locals want at their fingertips from hospitals to automotive repair to vets for their pets. Each listing has a map alongside to make directions a snap. You can even compare hotel rates for visiting relatives.

Enter your location and let your fingertips (or mouse) do the walking. The best part, you can still look up that person or business once you check out the next concert at the Hollywood Bowl, where to get Chinese food for take out, and looked through the top National Park adventures.

Disclaimer: YP.com sent me two lovely eclairs from the EM Artists Cafe. They were yummy and in no way effected my review of the site. However I cannot say the same for my waistline.

How to describe Tuesday Morning?

The most interesting yard sale in the world, going through the home of an eclectic shopper, or a surprise every time you shop. All of the above applies. There are not many places that have Chantal cookware, a pet stroller for your puppy, electric patio heater, and an iPod music system for your listening pleasure.  All at a sizable discount. They shop the world for discontinued brands, colors, and styles so that  you can wander among the goodies and find what you need.

This is truly treasure hunting. One time you might find a vortex heater, a telescope, and diamond earrings. The next time none of these however there would be a gorgeous rug, Calvin Klein dinnerware, and Top Flight golf clubs. They usually have selections in kitchenware, bed and bath, home furnishings, children’s toys, luggage, stationary and all manners of small gifts.

They are a 700 store national chain so check them out for unusual items you might not see at a discount any where else. You can also shop online. My favorite local one is at 901 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401, (310) 899-1569.

There are so many fantastic deals on the Vita Cost site I don’t know where to begin. Vitamins, shampoos, organic foods, protein powders, herbs, and homeopathy are just a few of the items covered.

Let’s start with organic products – 22 ounces of Organic Raw Honey for $6.35, 8 ounces of organic shredded coconut for $2.68, 12 ounces organic whole bean French Roast for $8.20, 16 ounces of Arrowhead Mills organic flax seed for $2.70!

Moving right along to shampoos- 11 ounces of Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo for $4.19, 32 ounces of Avalon Nourishing Lavender Shampoo for $10.67,  18 ounces Nature’s Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Shampoo for $3.90!

Organic Agave sweetener 23.5 ounces for $6.53!

Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent White Flower and Bergamot Citrus 7 lbs for $13.73!

And Aubreys, Alba Botanica, Burts Bees, Jason, Zia!

So many types of vitamins and herbs that you are going to have to see for yourself!

Now The Frugal Diva knows what you are thinking. What in the world is it going to cost to ship all this? $4.99 per order – that means if you get one item, two items, or ten items it will cost you $4.99 shipping. 

And as a diva it’s so nice to have things appear at your doorstep without having to schlep out to the store.

Just when I thought that everything had been done in the way of markets in comes a new kid on the block.  A little organic, a little convenience, a little gourmet grocery,  and a whole of savings.  There are so many wonderful Fresh & Easy products.  A bag of  frozen turkey meatballs this week for $5.99.  Add some tomato sauce, serve over pasta (99 cents this week), and open a bag of salad greens. That’s fresh, that’s easy.

Now if you want to get really, really easy and still stay really, really fresh.  We are talking about around $2.49 per person for lasagna with meat sauce to keep in your freezer. Cheaper then fast food and better for you.

Every week there are 98 cent produce packs.  Add a little excitement and use them in your cooking.  One week they had onions and red and green peppers. You can julienne slice them, saute, add some capers and olives. Set aside while you pan fry some tilapia and you have a nicoise style topping for your fish. Pick a pack of pears and pair with an interesting cheese for dessert. 

Yes I did say they are a little gourmet.  Pick up organic teas, fresh juices, fresh baked goods, wine (not at all stores), cheeses, balsamic vinegar along with fresh produce, fish, and meat on your way home.  And they have great sauces – Thai Chili Lime, Smokey Barbecue- and a good selection of spices.  Even pet food for your pooch.  So much good stuff in such a manageable size market.

You can also sign up for the email newsletter where you get weekly updates on specials and coupons. And please remember that all quoted prices are subject to change.

Smaller then a supermarket, more fresh food then a convenience store-this chain is a winner for the Frugal Diva.

Disclaimer: Fresh and Easy occasionally sends The Frugal Diva samples of their products.